1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates in general to switched mode electronic amplifiers, and in particular to circuits and methods for compensating for switched mode amplifiers.
2. Background of Invention
Class D audio power amplifiers (APAs) have been used for many years in systems, such as wireline telephony, where high bandwidth is not critical. More recently however, new fabrication techniques, and in particular, new techniques for fabricating power transistors, have made integrated Class D APAs possible. This has extended their potential applications to lower-power, higher-bandwidth systems, including battery-powered portable music players and wireless communications devices.
One major advantage of Class D amplifiers is their efficiency. Generally, an audio signal is converted into a relatively high frequency stream of pulses varying in width with the amplitude of the audio signal. This pulse width modulated (PWM) signal is used to switch a set of power output transistors between cutoff and saturation which results in efficiencies above ninety percent (90%). In contrast, the typical Class AB push-pull amplifier, using output transistors whose conduction varies linearly during each half-cycle, has an efficiency of around sixty percent (60%). The increased efficiency of Class D amplifiers in turn reduces power consumption and consequently lowers heat dissipation and improves battery life in portable systems.
One problem that must be addressed in the Class D amplifier design is the non-ideal response of the output load. Specifically, some accommodation must be made for the frequency response of reactive loads. Moreover, the amplifier should be capable of driving a range of different output devices coupled to the system output.
According to the principles of the present invention, an amplifier system is disclosed which includes a switching amplifier unit and analog conversion circuitry configured to recover an analog signal from an output signal of the switching amplifier. An adaptive filter coupled to an output of the conversion circuitry is configured to derive an inverse transfer function of a forward path through the amplifier system, which includes the analog conversion circuitry, the derived inverse transfer function is used to generate a coefficient map from which a compensation filter responsively compensates for variations in the output load of the amplifier unit.
The inventive concepts address a significant problem in the application of switched mode amplifiers generally, and particularly in applications in which faithful reproduction of the input signals is desired, namely the sensitivity of the frequency response of the system to the non-ideal conditions represented by realistic loads. Among other things, these concepts allow for the implementation of compensation mechanisms which equalize the frequency response of the amplifier system in the presence of reactive loads, as well as loads with nominal impedances that span the range of values presented by different output devices that may be connected to the amplifier system.